10/18/05: The 3rd Practice XC Run at Spotts Park…
I ALMOST missed this one because of dumb Houston traffic--I literally ran up to the starting line as they finished announcing the Current Leaders. Strider’s Sydney King (junior women), Jackie Connelly (open women), Brett Riley (open men) and Sandy Wollangk (masters women<---I believe) represented us Striders well as leaders.
The course itself, as Strider Chip warned me, was pretty challenging. It was two loops of up and down hills, over-and-over-and-over again. I walked up all the hills because I just KNEW there was no way I could charge up all those hills and keep my momentum going for nearly 3 miles. I kept a great pace, actually passing a few people that I normally trail behind in our SMARTie runs…I was neck-and-neck with Strider Loren most of the run (he’s much faster then me, by the way). Coach Steve encouraged me the last few hundred yards to pass him up--there was just no way. I lost all my steam on the first half of the course where I ran like a mad woman.
All-in-all, I was 84th out of 113 runners, (doesn’t seem very impressive, I know) but there were some really great XC’ers out there. In the back of my mind as I was running, I remember what I had wrote yesterday about not pushing myself enough, so I went all out. I was so spent after I finished the run I hung out until almost everyone was gone—I just felt wobbly and weak. (I guess I needed to have eaten more too). I did get a change to talk to Coach Tom and Strider Barry (my PIM coach) about the 20k that was Sunday and actually chat at length with Steve about my running. He also introduced me to Fred who started the XC series (I’m assuming the also the owner of Run Sport?)
Although sometimes I don’t know what to say to Steve about my running (as I know 'he knows all'), I knew I wanted to talk to him about my thoughts as of late. At first I talked to him about my run today and my 10k on Sunday. He told me he saw that I had some impressive times and I told him about my first two miles, in which he asked if I remembered that I was starting at the 6.2 mile mark (oopps! No I didn’t!) so my first two miles were off in my report, but I still completed that first 5k in 26.59, which is an 8:41/mile pace. That sounds more like it! We also talked about how I didn’t feel happy with my training speed and how I don’t think I am pushing myself enough. He reassured me that if I was able to complete the 10k in the time I did (which I was really happy with), I would be on target to complete the Half in 2:10, or 10:00/mile. I told him that’s exactly what I wanted to do. (Although really, is a 2:05 Half too unrealistic for me?! A 9:45/mile?)
I feel a lot better about things after I talked to him, and I am really eager to get back to the commaderie of the SMARTies as we do our first long run together Sunday in Conroe…I plan to do 10 miles at about a 10:00-to-10:15/mile pace. (I hope). Looking forward to the cool AM weather we will have too! Maybe I will see a few of you there?!
The STATS:
about 3 miles
28:06 total running
first half: 13:55
second half: 14:51
Heart-rate: n/a
Weather: mid 80’s. low humidity (Sooo nice!)
I ALMOST missed this one because of dumb Houston traffic--I literally ran up to the starting line as they finished announcing the Current Leaders. Strider’s Sydney King (junior women), Jackie Connelly (open women), Brett Riley (open men) and Sandy Wollangk (masters women<---I believe) represented us Striders well as leaders.
The course itself, as Strider Chip warned me, was pretty challenging. It was two loops of up and down hills, over-and-over-and-over again. I walked up all the hills because I just KNEW there was no way I could charge up all those hills and keep my momentum going for nearly 3 miles. I kept a great pace, actually passing a few people that I normally trail behind in our SMARTie runs…I was neck-and-neck with Strider Loren most of the run (he’s much faster then me, by the way). Coach Steve encouraged me the last few hundred yards to pass him up--there was just no way. I lost all my steam on the first half of the course where I ran like a mad woman.
All-in-all, I was 84th out of 113 runners, (doesn’t seem very impressive, I know) but there were some really great XC’ers out there. In the back of my mind as I was running, I remember what I had wrote yesterday about not pushing myself enough, so I went all out. I was so spent after I finished the run I hung out until almost everyone was gone—I just felt wobbly and weak. (I guess I needed to have eaten more too). I did get a change to talk to Coach Tom and Strider Barry (my PIM coach) about the 20k that was Sunday and actually chat at length with Steve about my running. He also introduced me to Fred who started the XC series (I’m assuming the also the owner of Run Sport?)
Although sometimes I don’t know what to say to Steve about my running (as I know 'he knows all'), I knew I wanted to talk to him about my thoughts as of late. At first I talked to him about my run today and my 10k on Sunday. He told me he saw that I had some impressive times and I told him about my first two miles, in which he asked if I remembered that I was starting at the 6.2 mile mark (oopps! No I didn’t!) so my first two miles were off in my report, but I still completed that first 5k in 26.59, which is an 8:41/mile pace. That sounds more like it! We also talked about how I didn’t feel happy with my training speed and how I don’t think I am pushing myself enough. He reassured me that if I was able to complete the 10k in the time I did (which I was really happy with), I would be on target to complete the Half in 2:10, or 10:00/mile. I told him that’s exactly what I wanted to do. (Although really, is a 2:05 Half too unrealistic for me?! A 9:45/mile?)
I feel a lot better about things after I talked to him, and I am really eager to get back to the commaderie of the SMARTies as we do our first long run together Sunday in Conroe…I plan to do 10 miles at about a 10:00-to-10:15/mile pace. (I hope). Looking forward to the cool AM weather we will have too! Maybe I will see a few of you there?!
The STATS:
about 3 miles
28:06 total running
first half: 13:55
second half: 14:51
Heart-rate: n/a
Weather: mid 80’s. low humidity (Sooo nice!)
posted by Jessica, a Austin Runner AND triathlete at
9:41 AM
1 Comments:
Jess, I wasn't in half as good of shape as you are this time last year and I pulled out a 2:14 half marathon. You'll do better than me if you just keep doing what you're doing.
By
Tiggs, at Wed Oct 19, 12:19:00 PM
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